Shrimp and Pasta with Creamy Pesto Sauce

I love versatile recipes, especially recipes where you can trade ingredients on a one-for-one basis. Any recipe that adapts to leftovers and stocked pantry items is versatile in my estimation. Sunset’s recipe for shrimp and pasta with creamy pesto sauce is the perfect example.

I’ve had my eye on pasta for over a week now. On the way home from work I purchased a 12-ounce box of angle hair pasta (my country market carries three pastas: spaghetti, angle hair and elbow macaroni). A small jar of traditional pesto, three leftover chicken thighs and the remains of a bag of sun-dried tomatoes all went into my spur-of-the-moment pasta for dinner.

My 13-year old son wolfed down two helpings despite the fragrant aroma from the basil. He even managed to work around the sun-dried tomatoes. I have a hit!

SHRIMP AND PASTA WITH CREAMY PESTO SAUCE

This recipe was published in Sunset Magazine, February 2003. I prefer roasted red pepper pesto to traditional pesto made with basil and pine nuts.

12 ounces penne pasta
1 pound shrimp, cooked, frozen
1/2 cup prepared pesto
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chicken broth
3 tablespoon dried tomatoes, oil-packed
Salt and black pepper, to taste

In a 4- to 6-quart pan over high heat, bring 3 quarts water to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender to bite, 7 to 12 minutes. Drain and return to pan.

Add shrimp, pesto, cream, stock and dried tomatoes to pasta. Stir over medium heat until hot and evenly incorporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes 3 to 4 servings.